Law enforcement flashlight recommendations

Re: Best flashlight Law Enforcement?

I havebeen at it 18 years and have not seen a better all around light for police use than the Gladius. That said, as good of a light that it is, I still use a SF M4 for throw when I need to light things up far away.

Boltgun

Re: Best flashlight Law Enforcement?

ReQie,

I have been on overnights for 13yrs now as a Law Enforcement Officer, and I have always been looking for the perfect light. I have yet to find it.

The best lights, in my opinion, to date (as an all around duty light) have been;

The following is just my personal opinions.

Mag-Charger - great for anything, stays in my vehicle on the charger, very bright with far reaching beam, awsome for searches especially wide open distances like fields or beaches, but I have gone through a lot of bulbs from being dropped. At crashes or crime scenes it seems to work well, but the batteries dont seem to last long long enough (about 40 mins or so constant), and then they take forever (over 8 hours) to recharg fully.
About 10 years old with no service

Streamlight Stinger - great personal light, stays on duty belt, bright for short distances and good for indoor searches and car stops. I have 3 and the batteries always seem to being going low or dying when I need them. I have used a lot of bulbs from being dropped or just burning up. Once again the battery dosen't last for more than about 30-40 mins constant and takes forever to charge.
About 5 years old for my oldest with no service.

Inova T4 - My newest addition. The t4 is LED and has replaced my Stinger on my Duty Belt. I still keep the Stinger in my Duty bag though as a back up. It is very bright White light. The beam is as good, if not better than the stinger, but has less usable side spill. It is absolutly blinding to anyone who's face you point it at (advantage to Officer for safety). Certainly great for car stops, especially for those ocupants who want to try to stare at you. I have carried it for about 4 months now and love the fact that it holds a charge when not on the charger, mine runs for about 2 hours well, and it is recharged in a little over three hours. (I would love to see a Cree version though)
Mainly new but has been working flawlessly.

I am not telling you that these are the best lights for your purpose but these are what I, and my fellow officers in my area have been using with good results, and all within your price range.

Good luck,
Bill

Re: Best flashlight Law Enforcement?

I'm also in LE and this is what I carry:

Primary light is the SF 9AN. I just got this and I am still getting used to it. The size is much smaller than the Streamlight SL20XP that I used, but comparable in weight. I think having the option of a lower power is great. The rechargeable primary light, in my opinion, is the way to go. The only issue I have with the 9AN is where to carry it. I only have a 32" waist and have run out of room on my belt. I carry the 9AN in my side pants pocket (BDU uniform).

Secondary light is the G2 carried on my belt. I chose a lithium powered light because I can forget about it for 10 years and I know it'll still work. I've mostly used this light to give to a partner who forgot his in the car.

On my key ring is a blue Photon LED light with a constant on switch. Also, there's a M3X weapon light on my service pistol. Seem like a lot, but it really isn't- I don't feel weighed down.

Switching gears, I'm also on our part-time SWAT team. On my MP5, there's a M900A. My primary hand-held is a G2Z and in my pocket is a Pelican LED that uses coin cells (I'm not sure of the model, but it also has a constant-on switch). Although this light is dim, it supposedly last a long time. I got this because, as with the majority of our call outs, there are times where we Sit, Wait And Talk. And when you're "holding" in a dark room for an extended amount of time, it's nice to not to use your critical lights to conserve their batteries.

Just my two cents.

P.S.- The 9AN charges in 1-2 hours, unlike the SL20XP which takes 10 hours.

Re: Best flashlight Law Enforcement?

Recenty another european officer asked the same question, look at his responses:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/128914
He chose the 7w Gostons on the chargers and batteries on this page:
http://www.szwholesale.com/golstonreg-2xlir123a-waterproof-rechargeable-recommended-p-645.html?osCsid=f7d4311331791605a02645fddbf0a5b6
I have 33 years in the blue. Many CPF members can give you opinions based on actual experience, not just suposition.
Here are some of my posts on your very question:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...20&postcount=11
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...165&postcount=3
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...132&postcount=3
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...43&postcount=16
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...95&postcount=10
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...ad.php?t=103057

contained in this thread:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/1705754#post1705754

Re: Best flashlight Law Enforcement?

Surefire C3 with P91 + 2 x 17500 LiIon for the duty belt

Magcharger with WA1160 + 4000Mah Batter stick (If you can find one) for your kit bag.


Tim.

Re: Best flashlight Law Enforcement?

Ultra stinger by Streamlight no other light brighter for the money And way under your price range. a blinding 75,000 candle power 295 lumens

Re: Best flashlight Law Enforcement?

jackpot316 said:

Ultra stinger by Streamlight no other light brighter for the money And way under your price range. a blinding 75,000 candle power 295 lumens

Click to expand...

I like the US also, but I'm not sure that it's the brightest for the money.

Personally, I carry a Gladius and an UltraStinger, though the specs that you state, ReQie, are rather vague. Maybe you could enlighten us more as to what you'll ne needing.

Re: Best flashlight Law Enforcement?

I carry an Inova t4 and Stinger both on my belt (they both make an awesome combo), i have the fast charger for the stinger, so i can charge both in under 3 hours, as a backup i also carry a g2. Also these are pretty lightweight as well.

I am waiting for the stinger LED to come out, i wonder if its going to be any good....

Re: Best flashlight Law Enforcement?

ReQie, welcome to CPF

Welcome, also, to Tick398, needforspeed, CAinsurgent, and duffman. Very good first posts there, gents.

I tend to side with Tick398 on this issue. Surefires are pricey, but when you factor in their quality, durability and after-sale customer service, that old Get-What-You-Paid-For element arises. It's no accident that high-profile U.S. law enforcement agencies and elite military units tend to specify Surefires when budgeting permits.

I'm also a big L5 fan, though the KL3 head will give more Throw and longer runtimes. Inova and Streamlight products have their loyal fans, but a bigger issue for you is this: will your officers frequently operate in high-humidity/rainy/foggy environments?

If so, consider incan lights, because wet air dramatically diffuses the light from LEDs. Needforspeed's recommendation of the Mag-Charger and Stinger merits consideration here. While they're old technology and bulky to carry, they make great "car lights."

No one illumination tool will be "perfect" for all your requirements, Thus, consider a layered, multiple-flashlight solution.

Re: Best flashlight Law Enforcement?

I'm not in law enforcement, but I do security work from time to time. My two-cents worth is as follows:

I carry a Gladius. Expensive, yes, but very versatile - being able to use it set dim is a very good thing for the battery life. As mentioned above, being an LED means you won't break a bulb by dropping it when it's hot, or just knocking it on something. The Gladius also backs off if it senses that it's getting too hot, and warns you by flashing periodically before the batteries need changing - all in all a fantastic light for lighting a single target.

I also have a Surefire L2 LumaMax - it is all flood, and no spot. This is better for a search. Again, it is also an LED emitter, rather than an incandescent bulb, and also has a two level output. I do find that this is largely redundant at the moment, though, and so spends its life clipped to a rucksack, ready for being packed and deployed.

I also have a little white LED on a keyring. This is mainly used to find the Gladius when I drop it in the dark when it isn't switched on. I can confirm just how silly that makes you feel.

If I were to add anything to the Gladius, it would be something like a Wolf-Eyes M90-T(F) - uses rechargeable cells, with a fast charger, has a decent run time, and is a huge floody beam which is great for illuminating a big area for searching. As a bonus, Wolf-Eyes products are relatively cheap.

Wolf-Eyes also do an LRB-168B cell, which replaces a pair of CR123A cells, and can be used in many existing flashlights, but not all. I understand that they fit the Gladius, but I don't know how well they work with the low-charge indicator - I aim to find out soon, however.

Re: Best flashlight Law Enforcement?

I have over 30 years of experience as a LEO/PO, and have several lights.

I would suggest looking at the:
- Pila GL4, with the 550 lumens lamp assembly, either with the tactical or LED tail-cap switch;
- Wolf-Eyes M90X, either with the tactical or LED tail-cap switch, and you MIGHT be able to substitute the Pila 550 lumens lamp assembly;
- LED Logic Striker VG;
- Tigerlight FBOP, with up-graded battery pack and lamp assembly.

Run the Pila, W-E or VG on RCR123A 3.0 volt protected regulated lithium-ion rechargeable cells.

Make sure your members always carry 2 lights, preferrably an incandescent and an LED, on their duty belt at all times, as well as carry spare charged cells.

Best flashlight for law enforcement?

What flashlight do you recommend for a new police officer? It must be small enough to be carried comfortably, sometimes covertly.

Is the SureFire ED2 generally considered the winner for work in hostile environments, or are there good competitors?

Thanks.

Re: Best flashlight for law enforcement?

The 6P is still the industry standard, it's a workhorse. Can't go wrong with one. I'd personally choose the C2 Centurion or the M2 if I was in LE.

Re: Best flashlight for law enforcement?

Will you be using one with your pistol?
Will you be holding it with the surefire/rogers grip, or do you prefer the harries technique?
If surefire/rogers, get a surefire c2 or m2 (depending on wether or not you expect to drop it)
, if harries, then the 6p will do, but the c2 and m2 still have the advantage of having a pocket clip, and the M2 also has a shockproof bezel.

If you expect to use it much, i would suggest a 3cell light, and put some rechargeable 17500 batteries in there (more on that on request).

Re: Best flashlight for law enforcement?

I think that the surefire E2D is a good light....
but there are some other good surefire flashlight like: 6P, M2, 6P defender...

you can also see wolfeyes tactical flashlight here but I personally think that surefire is the best in this sector.

Re: Best flashlight for law enforcement?

The SF 6P or C2/M2 merit serious consideration.

OTOH, the SF A2 is two-lights-in-one that covers the spectrum of illumination needs pretty well. Its regulated incan system will give flatter output than the 6P (i.e., it'll be brighter than the E2 or 6P after 20-30 minutes), and its low-output/long runtime LEDs will be good for up-close stuff like writing tickets and reports, searching vehicles, etc.

None of the above are ideal for enduring the recoil/shock from combat pistol shooting with total reliability, although the M2 does have a shock-isolated bulb. For that purpose, consider the potent SF L5 or L6, 2 LEDs that have the juice to cut through typical urban "ambient light" clutter that diminishes the reach of most LEDs (and most incans on the last 15-30 minutes of their batteries' life).

Still, as a base/all-purpose, easy-to-carry light, the A2 is hard to beat. It's about .6 inch longer than the C2, but thinner/less bulky and 1 oz. lighter.

It all depends on what light your dept. issues you as a primary light (i.e., MAG 4D, Streamlight Stinger, etc.)... or if your self-supplied light will be your ONLY light (not wise)... and your own budget.

Re: Best flashlight for law enforcement?

Yes, it will be used in conjunction with pistol, using icepick (Harries?) grip. Thanks for making me aware of other grips defusion, and after doing a little research learned that there are 8 different grip techniques.

1. Is there any reason to spend the extra $35 or so to get the E2D instead of the 6P Defender?
2. A colleague says the Surefire batteries only last half an hour; this seems a little short to me. What is the battery life in your estimation?
3. Where do you recommend purchasing Surefires from?

Re: Best flashlight for law enforcement?

Alex said:

Yes, it will be used in conjunction with pistol, using icepick (Harries?) grip. Thanks for making me aware of other grips defusion, and after doing a little research learned that there are 8 different grip techniques.

1. Is there any reason to spend the extra $35 or so to get the E2D instead of the 6P Defender?
2. A colleague says the Surefire batteries only last half an hour; this seems a little short to me. What is the battery life in your estimation?
3. Where do you recommend purchasing Surefires from?

Click to expand...

1. if you want a smaller body - yes
2. first 5min are really bright, then to about 30min it runs to 75% of its maximum output (as in the 5 first min.). At about 50min its at 50%, then it fals really quickly.
3. ebay if you want cheap, or at a closeby dealer or maybe your department sells them? if you want fast replacement if necesary.

heres a runtime chart from flashlightreview

Re: Best flashlight for law enforcement?

Alex said:

Yes, it will be used in conjunction with pistol, using icepick (Harries?) grip. Thanks for making me aware of other grips defusion, and after doing a little research learned that there are 8 different grip techniques.

1. Is there any reason to spend the extra $35 or so to get the E2D instead of the 6P Defender?
2. A colleague says the Surefire batteries only last half an hour; this seems a little short to me. What is the battery life in your estimation?
3. Where do you recommend purchasing Surefires from?

Click to expand...

You could also get a G3 for around 49 bucks and use two 17500 li-ion batteries. This is a great duty light with a powerful lamp, good runtime and free lumens due to the rechargeable batteries. This is a very cost-effective solution.

Re: Best flashlight for law enforcement?

get yourself a night-ops gladius and pimp it with a seoul P4 led. its a great light and thats why i carry one on my dutybelt.

christian